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axial

[ak-see-uh l]
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adjective

of, pertaining to, characterized by, or forming an axis: an axial relationship.
situated in or on an axis.

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The winter solstice lasts for just one moment. It occurs exactly when the Earth’s axial tilt is farthest away from the sun. This usually happens around December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere or June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, during the solstice the sun will be at its southernmost point in the sky. The higher …
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RELATED WORDS

paramount, key, important, pivotal, fundamental, basic, significant, essential, prime, salient, dominant, center, radical, median, primary, middle, chief, intermediate, master, ruling

Origin of axial

First recorded in 1840–50; axi- + -al1
Related formsax·i·al·i·ty, nounax·i·al·ly, adverbin·ter·ax·i·al, adjectivemul·ti·ax·i·al, adjectivemul·ti·ax·i·al·ly, adverbsub·ax·i·al, adjectivesub·ax·i·al·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

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British Dictionary definitions for axial

axial

adjective

relating to, forming, or characteristic of an axis
situated in, on, or along an axis
Derived Formsaxiality, nounaxially, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for axial
adj.

"pertaining to an axis," by 1825, from axis + -al (1). Related: Axially.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for axial

axial

[ăk′sē-əl]

adj.

Relating to or characterized by an axis; axile.
Relating to or situated in the head and trunk region of the body.
Relating to or parallel with the long axis of a tooth.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science definitions for axial

axis

[ăk′sĭs]

Plural axes (ăk′sēz′)

An imaginary line around which an object rotates. In a rotating sphere, such as the Earth and other planets, the two ends of the axis are called poles. The 23.45° tilt of the Earth's axis with respect to the plane of its orbit around the Sun causes the Northern and Southern Hemispheres to point toward and away from the Sun at different times of the year, creating seasonal patterns of weather and climate. Other planets in the solar system have widely varying tilts to their axes, ranging from near 0° for Mercury to 177° for Venus.
Mathematics
  1. A line, ray, or line segment with respect to which a figure or object is symmetrical.
  2. A reference line from which distances or angles are measured in a coordinate system, such as the x-axis and y-axis in the Cartesian coordinate system.
Anatomy The second cervical vertebra, which serves as a pivot for the head.
Botany The main stem or central part of a plant or plant part, about which other plant parts, such as branches or leaflets, are arranged.
Related formsaxial adjective
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.